Worms are endoparasites that can not only significantly worsen a cat’s quality of life, but also lead the unfortunate pet to death. Moreover, helminths are also dangerous for humans, especially if their immunity is weak. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly deworm your pets using modern means: tablets, sprays, drops, suspensions.
One of the time-tested anthelmintics is the drug “Cestal” for cats (or more precisely, “Cestal Cat”), produced in Hungary, developed by French specialists. Let's take a closer look at this dewormer.
Release form and differences
Cestal is produced in tablet form. Round and flat tablets of gray-yellow color. There is a dividing groove in the middle, which allows you to accurately measure the required amount of antiparasitic agent for small pets.
A cardboard package usually contains 5 blisters of 2 tablets each. In many pharmacies, tablets are sold individually, so you can easily purchase the required amount depending on the weight of the animal.
An important advantage of the medicine is that there is no need to observe special storage conditions. It is enough that the air temperature does not exceed 25˚C, and the storage location is dry and away from direct sunlight.
Note! Children and pets (not only cats, but also dogs) should not have access to the medicine.
Storage conditions
According to safety precautions and rules for working with medications, in order for Cestal Cat not to lose its pharmacological properties and effectiveness, the storage conditions specified in the instructions must be strictly observed.
Store the veterinary drug in a cool, dry place in the manufacturer's packaging away from food, children, and animals. The optimal storage temperature is 12-25 degrees.
Shelf life from the date of release is 2 years, subject to storage conditions. After the expiration of the specified period, Cestal loses its anthelmintic properties and must be disposed of.
Composition and principle of action
The complex antiparasitic effect is due to the active components included in the composition:
- Praziquantel.
The substance is active against tapeworms. The principle of action is that praziquantel increases the permeability of cell membranes. As a result, the muscles of the parasites contract and complete paralysis occurs, which inevitably leads to their death. In addition, the active component helps destroy helminths, which simplifies their removal from the body. - Pyrantela embonata.
The component has a negative effect on roundworms. It increases the permeability of cell membranes and also disrupts the transmission of nerve impulses. As a result of such exposure, the parasites die in a short period of time.
Both components are quickly absorbed into the blood. For example, the concentration of pyrantel in the blood reaches its maximum value in 2-4 hours. Basically, the active substances are excreted from the animal’s body through urine, and partially through feces.
The drug contains auxiliary components: palm oil, maltodextrin, starch and others, which give the medicine the taste of liver. Thanks to this, many cats eat the medicine on their own without coercion.
Who are helminths?
Helminths, or as we used to call them - worms, are parasitic worms that settle in the intestines or other organs of a cat and feed on its blood or plasma.
Infection occurs through communication with the carrier, through feeding raw fish or meat, or through contact with soil or grass on which the parasite eggs have settled.
It is also not uncommon for an animal to be infected directly by its owner, carrying helminth eggs on clothes, shoes, and even on his hands.
We will consider the most common parasites in cats below.
Nematodes or roundworms
They are one of the most common endoparasites found in cats . They are a small thin worm. Basically, its length does not exceed two centimeters, but there have been cases in which the nematode reached a length of up to 10 centimeters.
Lives in the intestines, attaching to its walls. It multiplies at high speed and can cause serious consequences, including death, especially in young individuals.
Nematode eggs can be detected in animal feces no earlier than 14 days after infection.
Cestodes or tapeworms
This helminth is much larger than its round relative and can reach a length of up to 80 centimeters. It is called ribbon because of its appearance - long and flat, divided into segments. It lives in the small intestine of a cat, feeding, like the nematode, on the blood of the host. It is very easy to detect this parasite - when it matures, the segment with eggs inside is separated from the body of the worm and comes out with feces. The eggs of the cestode are quite large and visible to the naked eye.
It is important to know that fleas are also one of the main carriers of worms in cats, so if you find them on a cat, be sure to take care not only of flea drops, but also of a high-quality deworming drug.
Features of use and dosage
They give the medicine once. According to the instructions, the dosage of Cestal for cats is calculated taking into account the weight of the animal:
- For kittens weighing up to 1 kg, a single dose is a quarter of a tablet.
- If the animal's weight is between 1 and 2 kg, half a tablet will be required.
- For pets weighing 2-4 kg you need to take 1 tablet.
- If the animal's weight is 4-8 kg, 2 tablets should be given.
- Cats and female cats weighing more than 8 kg should be fed 3 tablets at a time.
Since the drug tastes like liver, you can simply offer the animal to eat it. If the pet refuses, you can give the medicine in the following ways:
- Forcefully place it on the root of the tongue, lift the pet's head and stroke the neck to evoke a swallowing reflex.
- Crush the tablets into powder, and then add to dry food or canned food.
- Dilute the crushed preparation in a small amount of water. Give the prepared solution to drink to the animal. It is better to do this forcibly using a syringe without a needle.
Before deworming, there is no need to specifically adhere to a starvation diet or give the animal laxatives the day before.
Note! Cestal is available in two versions - for cats and for dogs. Buy only medicine intended for cats, since the concentration of active substances in it is lower.
In what cases is it necessary to take medications?
According to veterinarians, it is advisable to start giving anthelmintic drugs two weeks before vaccinations. Keep in mind that routine vaccination involves introducing a reduced dose of virus , which has a positive effect on the animal’s immunity.
The result of this is a slight weakening of the body. If there are already worms in the body, then they can weaken the animal’s body, and in this case, vaccination can only do harm. It is also recommended to treat cats with this drug against worms before mating. If you ignore this recommendation, there is a risk of miscarriage.
Contraindications and side effects
In general, the antiparasitic agent is considered safe and has virtually no contraindications. You should avoid using it if you have an intolerance to the components, including a history of it, as there is a high risk of allergies. Cestal should absolutely not be given to kittens under 3 weeks of age. The drug can be used for weakened and pregnant animals, but only after consultation with a veterinarian.
The medicine should not be given together with piperazine, as this can cause toxic poisoning of the body and serious consequences.
The instructions indicate that Cestal does not cause side effects and is always well tolerated by cats even when the dose is exceeded. In some cases, allergic reactions occur, which can manifest as rashes, redness and other dermatological pathologies. If an animal is allergic to the drug, it is necessary to discontinue its further use and select an antiparasitic agent with other active ingredients.
Please note that the medication contains components that can cause the following side effects:
- vomiting;
- diarrhea;
- nausea;
- refusal to eat or poor appetite;
- lethargy;
- apathy, etc.
If you notice one or more of the listed symptoms, contact your veterinarian to prescribe symptomatic treatment.
Analogs
There are plenty of similar products on the market; they differ in the form of production:
- Pills;
- Injections;
- Drops;
- Suspensions, etc.
When an owner chooses a medicine for his pet, he must take into account a number of important factors:
- the student’s sensitivity to all kinds of substances;
- how convenient it is to use;
- price policy;
- what helminths need to be destroyed.
Similar products are:
- Prazicide. In tablet form. Cannot be used by pregnant women.
- Drontal. The most similar drug. Tablet, not for use by nursing or pregnant women.
- Stronghold. Drops. Allowed for cats in "position". The pricing policy is quite high.
- The Dironet suspension is also similar.
Advantages and disadvantages
The main advantages of an antiparasitic agent include:
- convenient release form;
- good taste (as the manufacturer claims);
- Possibility of use for adult pets and kittens (from 3 weeks);
- ease of dosage and use;
- high efficiency;
- availability in pharmacies;
- lack of compliance with special storage conditions;
- broad spectrum action.
The drug also has disadvantages:
- if used incorrectly, it can cause allergic reactions and problems with the gastrointestinal tract;
- the likelihood of overdose when used together with other antiparasitic drugs.
How much does the drug cost?
To be sure of the effectiveness of the drug used, it is advisable to purchase tablets from specialized veterinary pharmacies. It is possible that you may come across a counterfeit medicine if you buy it from random people. This should not be done if you value your pet’s health.
In our country, the drug Cestal for cats is offered at a very affordable price - 40-80 rubles. To purchase a package containing 10 tablets, you need to pay approximately 600 rubles .
Owner reviews
Margarita, owner of a British cat:
“We bought Cestal at a pet store on the advice of the saleswomen. They claimed that they were buying the drug for their pets. At first I mixed the medicine with Lada’s favorite food, but she immediately refused it. Apparently she smelled liver. I had to forcefully apply it to the root of the tongue. This procedure is unpleasant for us, but once every 3-4 months we can tolerate it. The drug works and that’s the main thing!”
Anastasia, owner of a 4-year-old cat:
“I usually use Melbamax for deworming, but this time it was not in the pharmacy. As an alternative, we chose Cestal, which we greatly regretted later. The cat was hospitalized with poisoning. I was on IV drips and barely came out, although I was given the medicine according to the instructions. I cannot recommend this medicine to other cat owners.”
Maria, mistress of Cymric:
“When the cat was diagnosed with worms, the doctor prescribed Cestal. The cat refused to eat the tablets, even when mixed with food. We decided to crush it into powder and dilute it in water, but after doing this, I was left with a severe chemical burn on my hands. We got rid of parasites, but for prevention I don’t give this strong drug to the animal.”
What is the drug Cestal for cats?
Seeing that your furry dog is increasingly crawling with his butt on the carpet or floor, his fur has become dull, we can assume that he has worms in his body.
Treating cats for every type of parasite is incredibly difficult, and it may not always be successful. Therefore, scientists were able to develop a universal drug for cats . It helps animals very well, as can be judged by the positive reviews from the owners.
The drug is offered in the form of light yellow round tablets, which have a dividing strip in the center. Cestal managed to gain high popularity thanks to the wide range of influence provided by its constituent components:
- praziquantel (50 mg). This substance perfectly destroys tapeworms and cestodes, regardless of their stage of development.
- pyrantel pamoate (144 mg). This component successfully resists nematodes and strongylate infections. The substance is slowly absorbed, but thanks to this it acts much longer, as a result of which the drug fights nematodes much more effectively.
This drug is considered relatively safe for cats due to low toxicity, and therefore there are no adverse reactions in cats if the recommended dosage is followed.
